Tribe

A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. For millions of years, human beings have been part of one tribe or another. A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.

~ Seth Godin

All seekers of their North Star have things in common with each other, even though their North Stars might be distinct and unique. They have a common passion: to reach their individual North Stars. They have similar attitudes. They have similar personality traits; they are tenacious, persistent and focused. They are all on a goal. They are all facing challenges and learning how to overcome them. None of them think giving up is an option.

If that doesn’t define a Tribe, what does?

If you are committed to your North Star, having your own Tribe will be an incredibly powerful resource to have at hand. When you are enthused and going great guns, you Tribe will rejoice in the lightness of your steps. When you reach milestones your Tribe will break out the bubbly. When you find stones tied to your feet your Tribe will hasten to untie the tricky knots. When things aren’t going well, your Tribe will offer perspective, encouragement and sound advice.

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.

~ Jane Howard

They will sit with you a while as you recuperate and rejuvenate. They will tell you stories of their own victories, of the challenges they too have overcome. They will give you faith and belief in your own ability to reach your goals- because they have reached theirs. Their victories with give you courage, their struggles will give you strength for yours. Nothing deepens your belief in your ability to reach your summit than to see a fellow traveler reach his.

Your Tribe will be your best support system. They will multiply you in ways you could never have imagined. They would spark you off with inspiring, new ideas; they would fill you to the brim with verve and vim. They will make you restless with a desire to try your wings. You will feel ten feet tall with a strength and courage to match. They will make you want to LIVE like never before.

I really have created a family. I work with the people I love, I travel with them, I make films with them, and I’m in an office with them. So in a weird way – I know I haven’t birthed a child – I feel that I’m a part of creating a family. It’s a tribe. I love that word.

~ Drew Barrymore

Who will you choose as your Tribe? Who will you include as a part of your world?

Don’t include people who- however nice- don’t inspire you. Don’t make a Tribe of people who aren’t on their journey to their North Star. There will be times when your own fire will burn down. You will need a potent spark to restart. People who have no fire in their belly wont be able to help you then.

Your Tribe must be made of people who are tenacious and tireless. Your world must primarily include those who share you values. When you are preparing to fly, fraternize with those who aspire to the same- or are already air- borne. You will be known (and made) by the company you keep. If you collect around you those who are too blind to see their own North Star, you can kiss yours goodbye. Remember Nuñez in the story The Country of the Blind? The villagers didn’t hail Nuñez as the king, they thought his vision was a flaw.

You will need the help of your Tribe to escape from the Country of the Blind before they operate on you and take away your eyes. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will ever become king in that country. They don’t like people with sight, the blind ones.

Your Tribe will be blessed with vision, just like you.

As I look back over my mountains of growth and compare them to the molehills where I stagnated, community often made the difference.

31 thoughts on “Tribe”

Another thought-provoking post! ‘The Country of the Blind’ is an eye-opening (pun intended!) story.

I completely agree that, “Your world must primarily include those who share your values,” and with, “Don’t include people who – however nice – don’t inspire you.” Different people in my ‘tribe’ inspire me in different ways, but we share the same values.

One should not isolate oneself from people who do not form part of one’s tribe. Such people would come under the category of acquaintances / well-wishers / service providers / etc..

I am glad your eyes are opened now Proactive Indian. 🙂 You are right about not isolating yourself from people who aren’t a part of your Tribe. Their journey is different from yours, and that’s perfectly alright. You can love people from a distance. When they visit your mental and emotional space, you can offer them tea and biscuits. You needn’t invite them to make a nest in your space! Thank you for coming by! 🙂

I am struggling a bit to get my arms around the tribe concept, Dagny. I guess all of us do keep searching in different ways for souls who resonate with our thinking. Isn’t that why we get along with some like a house on fire and be at loggerheads with some? Now, with this premise, are tribes concerned with the achievement of a certain set of goals or are they there for a lifetime? So, tribes exist for a reason or a season, then how long will loyalty to that tribe or it’s member last? I am trying to fit the tribe concept in the bigger scheme of things.

Just as your journey to your North Star is a life long project, so can your tribe be. Some specific members might move away, some may choose to walk away. But your tribe will always have people who understand what it means to be on a journey as arduous as the one to your North Star. At least, so I think. Thank you Prathima!

A provocative post indeed about Tribe and what it means and can mean for our journey. What I also gather from this post is the value of being selective and very cautious about choosing your tribe. I don’t have to be “nice” by keeping in my tribe those who not only not inspire me but could even take me down further in the valley of the blind. And so often we are faced with the situations where we must act “nice” lest we hurt someone’s sentiment. This means we have to be extra careful when walking in the crowd and focusing inwardly on our own journey within. Thanks for another wonderful post! And very good story too 🙂

I am delighted you liked the post Beloo. We must indeed be very selective about how we choose our companions. It isn’t a question of being judgmental, although some will feel that’s what I am advocating. It is merely a question of how far or close you wish to keep people. Keep some very close and some not so much- that’s all.

The tribe or our strong support is very important when the going gets tough and it’s a big pillar of support. A beautiful and inspiring post on the tribe that keeps us going when we are in the dump. I always rely on my tribe for support be it close friends, family or online friends who keep reminding me to hang on and the sun rise for everyone. I love the pep talk.

Some times being a part of tribe doesnt help me. I get tensed and find peace in solace but ya it times it magically works! May b all find their tribe sooner or later. Will surely read the story in leisure- sounds intriguing Thought provoking post again Good one!

My tribe has is like an atom. At the core is the nucleus — people who breathe life into me — my father, sister, brother, my mil, my husband, kids and Coco. And then there are electrons who are my friends. Now these electrons influence me differently — some more, some less. Some of them move away and get replaced by others. At other times, the core is intact but the electrons may be gone. I am open to add more to my tribe. But like you said, they must inspire me; their vision must be in line with mine. And they must be people I can respect and love. Completely loved the idea of the tribe!

I’m so happy you like the idea of a Tribe. As Vasudha said in her comment, for many of us, Indiblogeshwaris is a tribe too. I know it is for me. The discussions we have there have validated me many times.

The way I understand Tribe, is this: I have a bunch of people who inspire me in different ways. Some are wonderful listeners, some are awesome sounding boards for some of those wild ideas most of us get. Some will quietly pack you parachute while others can be depended on to fish you out of hot water. All these people, each adding a different value to my life, are my tribe. And yes, as you say, the ‘lift’ is mutual. 🙂

All through this A to Z challenge, you have seemed like a kinswoman. Our thoughts and posts have found resonance with each other. Today, as yet another T post does the same, may I ask permission to be formally inducted into your tribe?

Cynthia, you honor me. Your words and thoughts have found a home in my heart and I know you have connected with my posts too. Barely a couple of days into that challenge and I thought, “I want to know this woman better. She seems exactly like the kind of girl I’d like to make a part of my tribe.”

And here you are! Can anything be more wonderful?

Thank you seems an inadequate term, but it will have to do. You validate me immensely. Hugs! <3

No man is an Island and we all want to belong to someone!!!. To fit into a tribe which elates and uphold us and rejoice in their company, creating a magical bonding is a beautiful thing. Love this post and its creator.